christopher price

Patriots' playoff vets know that the game changes in the postseason

FOXBORO -- There’s no way to explain how football changes when the schedule turns from the regular season to the postseason. You can try and explain it to a youngster who hasn’t gone through the process, but chances are they won’t be fully prepared until they step on the field.

That doesn’t mean the Patriots’ veterans aren’t trying their best to impart some collective wisdom about how everything changes once the playoffs roll around. A lot of that knowledge has been passed down this week, as New England continues to prepare for their divisional playoff contest, set for a week from Saturday at Gillette Stadium.

“It’s a one-game season,” Patriots rookie tackle Nate Solder said this week when asked what he knows about playoff football. “You’re going to put everything into it during the week in your preparation. You’re going to put everything into it during the game, because that’s all you have is that one game.”

While veteran running back Kevin Faulk hasn’t had much of an impact on the field this year, the youngsters on the roster would be wise to listen to his counsel. After all, this is a guy who has played in 18 playoff games -- that’s more than a complete extra season. When asked about what sort of advice he could impart to someone like Solder or Stevan Ridley -- two rookies who will be playing in their first career playoff game on Sunday, Faulk had a quick reply.

“The pace of the game is about to change,” said Faulk, who’s postseason experience on the New England roster is second only to that of quarterback Tom Brady, who has played in 19 playoff games since arriving in Foxboro in 2000.

Some players say the difference in regular season to postseason game is not unlike the transition from the preseason to the regular season. Things jump up and become incrementally faster, forcing those who haven’t been through the process yet to get up to speed almost on the fly.

“The speed of the game gets faster and gets more intense. It gets more physical,” said defensive lineman Vince Wilfork, who has 13 career postseason games under his belt. “Every play is a ‘Got-to- have-it play.’ Every play is a ‘Have-to-win play.’”

Many veterans also stressed preparation. Because the Patriots were able to clinch the No. 1 seed and home field advantage, they have the added benefit of an extra week off. How you use that extra time to prepare (both as an individual and as a teammate) can make all the difference in the world, according to offensive lineman Brian Waters.

“Your preparation has to be at its best, period,” said Waters, who will be playing his first postseason game with the Patriots after two playoff games in 11 years with Kansas City. “You’re going to win football games a lot of times, Monday through Saturday. The days you have leading up to that playoff game is when you’ll win. That’s when you’re going to get your advantage.

“You can’t look at it like one of those things when you’re going to party hearty and be excited to be there. Everything -- your preparation, the way you perform, the way you take care of your body -- you have to step up to another level.”

Proper prep work is not only important for the players, but the rest of the organization as well, according to Vince Wilfork.

“Every aspect from the public to the teams, the coaching, the game plans, the players, everything -- it’s just taken to a whole other level,” Wilfork said. “That’s not just the young guys. That’s older guys, guys who have been around the league. I think the team in general, I think our coaching staff -- it’s just the whole shebang. When you talk about elevating your game, I think it comes from everyone, not just the players. I think it’s a whole organization standpoint.”

As a rookie, there will be a natural tendency to get too cranked up. It’s only natural -- the stakes are raised, and you want to perform well on the big stage. Safety Patrick Chung was one of those guys who was a little too hyped for the postseason, and he had to learn a somewhat Zen approach from veterans who had been through the playoff wars before him. Saying he’s just “straight Energizer Bunny out there,” he leaned on the advice of guys like Tedy Bruschi, Jerod Mayo and Junior Seau when it came to finding a middle ground in the postseason.

“Honestly, prepare for the game like it’s a regular game you’re trying to win,” Chung said when asked about advice for rookies. “You can’t get too hyped about it because if you get too hyped you might get too antsy, and then you never know what might happen.

“But if you have the same preparation that you do week-in-and-week-out and just take it as a game that we have to win -- just like every other week -- then that’s the best advice I can give them. Just relax and let the game come to you.”

Greg and Chris talk with Mike Reiss from ESPN Boston in hour 2 of NFL Sunday to discuss a variety of offseason happenings with the Pats and throughout the league. Greg and Chris also get into the NFL Draft and where Mariota and Winston will go.

Mike Reiss calls the guys to talk about the offseason news for the Pats. He talks about the Pats/Jets tampoering fiasco, free agency, where he sees Ridley and Connolly ending up, if the Patriots would be interested in Reggie Wayne and more.

In the first hour of the show, Greg and Chris discuss the news coming out of the owners' meetings this week and rule changes. Belichick's blow-up over the league not wanting to spend on endzone cameras was well documented and the guys react. They also talk about the Jets ridiculous tampering charges, free agents still lingering out there, where Stevan Ridley will land and the RB position in New England. Dickerson and Price briefly discuss the adventures of Tom Brady before being joined by WEEI.com's Mike Petraglia to talk all things Pats in the offseason.

Flannery joins Mut to break down the Isaiah Thomas trade to Boston and what it means for the Celtics this season and in the future. Paul also chats with Mut about the other deals that happened at the NBA's trading deadline

Mut, Tomase, and Bradford kick things off talking about Shane Victorino taking offense to people reading into some comments he made about trading for Cole Hamels. They also discuss Blake Swihart and how soon he could be up if Christian Vazquez starts the season on the DL.

Joe Kelly joined the Hot Stove show where he talked about being ready for his next spring training start after a biceps ailment forced him out of his last outing, he talks about his NCAA brackets and how teammate Wade Miley has a perfect bracket still.

Peter Chiarelli joined the Sunday Skate crew to talk about the Bruins playoff push heading into the final handful of games of the regular season. Chiarelli talked about avoiding some of the overly negative feedback he gets while realizing that the team does have real issues. He discusses what went down at the trade deadline and if he was happy with the outcome, Lucic having a down year and underperforming, the salary cap and if he considers it as big of an issue as it's been made out to be and what the future holds for the team.

It's a big hour #2 for the Sunday Skate dudes - they talk about the B's defenseman and what the future looks like at that position, with both moves the team can make and younger guys in the AHL. They also get into the Bruins philosophy on bringing guys up and sending them back down and how players deal with that. Finally, the boys are joined by Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli to discuss EVERYTHING.

The Sunday Skate crew gets the show going discussing the Bruins big, impressive victory over the NY Rangers yesterday. What can you take from that game? According to LB - Lyndon Byers - who called the guys from the road, not a lot. LB drops a dime on what was going on with the Rangers yesterday. DJ and Joe discuss Claude's lines and groupings and the importance of Ryan Spooner. They also get into Lucic, his contributions this year and if he can turn things around.

With early season injuries sidelining Christian Vasquez and Koji Uehara, and Clay Buchholz being named the Opening Day starter, Lou becomes a little apprehensive about his 90 win prediction for this year's Red Sox team.